Type-writer key-striker or hand extension.



R. w. BABSON.

TYPE WRITER KEY STRIKER 0R HAND EXTENSION APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8- I915.

Patented Oct. 9,1917.

INVENTEJI RDEERVLQAEJSUN ROGER w. BABSON, or WELLESLEY HILLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

TYPE-WRITER. KEY-STRIKER on HAND EXTENSION.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ROGER W. BABsoN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Wellesley Hills, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Type- Writer Key-Strikers or Hand Extensions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its chief object to provide a device or hand extension whereby a typewriter operator or typist may selectively manipulate the keys of a typewriter while wearing mittens and'working in a socalled out-door oflice.

Another object of the invention is to enable a typist to manipulate the typewriter keys While the elbows a are supported by chair arms, thus minimizing fatigue attending the operation.

The invention is embodied in a key striker or hand extension comprising an, elongated rod formed at its inner end portion as ahand grip adapted to be grasped by a mlttened hand, and a finger located at the outer end of the rod and arranged at an angle thereto, said finger having a striking peen formed to cooperate with the blow-receiving face of a typewriter key button in depressing the key.

The length of the rod is such that when its grip portion is grasped by the operators hand, the finger is sufiiciently projected from the hand to enable the peen to be applied to either of a plurality of buttons by wrist flexure'alone and without movement of the elbow, which may therefore rest on a chair-arm during the operation.

The button face usually has an annular raised ridge surrounding a depressed central portion.

Owing to the fact that the operators hand is at a distance from the button when depressin the key through the hand extension 0 my invention, there is liable to be some aberration of the peen, preventing it from striking the button face centrally. To compensate for this aberration I form the peen' so that it is automatically centralized bythe raised rim of the button in case the peen is out of center when it first strikes the button.

The object of thus centralizing. the hammer head relatively to the button is to prevent liability of depressing more'than one button, which liability might exist if the peen in descending on the selected button is Specification of Letters Patent.

' preferably of Fig. 2;

Patented Oct. a, 191

Application filed December 18, 1915. Serial No. 67,570. Y

so far out of ,center that, if not thus centralized, it would encroach on the space occupied by another button of the same row, the buttons being closely spaced.

To prevent wear of the button and liability of injury thereto, particularly when it has a glass covert on its central portion, I make the peen of relatively soft compress1ble.material, which also deadens the sound, cushions the blow, and minimizes the jar on the operators hand. 7

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

vFigure 1 representsa side elevation of a hand. extension embodying my invention Fig. 2 representsa view of the under side of the extension;

Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 Fig. 4 represents ferently constructed extension embodying the invention.

The same reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all the, views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 12 represents an elongated rod formed at its inner end portion as a hand grip, and. 13 represents a finger on the outer end of'the rod and arranged at an angle thereto, said finger havmg preferably rigid material may be employed in the construction of the rod. As hereshown, the finger is integral with the rod.

The peen 14 is formed to engage and de- Figs. 1 and 3. Preferably the peen is formed to be' deflected by the raised rim of the button 15'toward the center of the button in case of a slight aberration of the finger from its proper path when it is descending upon the button.

To this end the striking face of the peen may be made of convex form, as shown, the

diameter of the base portion of the peen be- "ing preferably considerably less than that a side elevation of a difa striking peen 14:- Any suitable and press a single key button 15, asindicated n y terial adapted to m1n1mize wear of the button, .and prevent liability of. breaking the face of the button when saidface is made of glass. The compressibility of the peen also cushions the blow and reduces noise and the jar on the operators hand. The material of the peen should be such that it will be free from liability to slip or glance too freely on the button.

As shown by Fig. 3,-the peen is substantially hemispherical, its flat inner face being cemented or otherwise secured to the flat end face of the rigid body of the finger.

I have demonstrated the fact that an operator wearing mittens and holding one of the described hand extensions in each hand is able to operate a typewriter with satisfactory rapidity.

The hand extension is adapted to cooperate with a button having a flat. central face surrounded by a raised rim, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, or with a button' the face of which is concave or dished, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8.

When the extension is held by a mittened hand ll prefer to provide the inner end portion of the rod with a cover 17 of compressible frictional material, such as rubber, constituting a frictional hand grip preventing the rod from slipping and turning in contact with the mitten. Saidcover maybe a rubber tube removably applied to the-rod.

The length of the extension as a whole is such that the finger 13 projects sufficiently from the operators hand to enable the finger to be moved alonga row of buttons by wrist flexure only, and without movement of the forearm and elbow. Consequently the operator may conveniently occupy a chair having arms which support the elbows and forearm, and therefore minimize fatigue to the operator.

and is believed to be useful in preventing neuritis.

. Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A typewriter key striker comprising a rod of rigid material forming a hand grip and provided at one end with a laterally disposed finger having "a striking peen shaped to engage a single typewriter key, said rod and said finger being of sufficient body to depress said typewriter key without flexing.

2. A typewriter key striker comprising a rod of rigid material forming a hand grip and provided at one end with a laterally disposed finger having a striking peen shaped to engage a single typewriter key, said rod and said finger being of suflicient body to depress said typewriter key without flexing, and a cover of frictional material upon the hand grip portion of said rod.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ROGER BABSONQ 

